Jianfu Li

The article is devoted to the modern Chinese national opera "The Ballad of the Canal". This opera is recognized throughout the world as an outstanding sample of Chinese opera music, incorporating both the centuries-old heritage of traditional Chinese music and numerous achievements of Chinese opera of the 20th century. At the same time, during its creation many new techniques and elements were used, which has infrequently been exploited in Chinese opera before. The composers based the plot on an ancient Chinese legend, the action of which takes place on a ship sailing along the Grand Canal having connected several provinces of China for many centuries. This choice made it possible to show culture, traditions and life of people in ancient China, as well as to maintain an action consisting of several intertwining storylines filled with romantic feelings and vivid emotions. Moreover, it allows for presenting a modern interpretation of legends, folk tales and historical facts.

In this article, the opera "The Ballad of the Canal" is used to study the development of Chinese national opera. For this purpose the analysis of its musical characteristics has been carried out in four main aspects: musical language, theme, instrumentation and vocals. All the main elements of the opera — music, performance, drama, character and artistic features — have a pronounced national flavour and at the same time are novel. This is achieved by combining elements of traditional Chinese opera and Western music techniques.

Compared with earlier musical works, the opera "The Ballad of the Canal" has undergone significant changes and innovations in terms of music composition, choir arrangement and instrumental configuration, which contributes to the development of Chinese national opera in general.

The article explores Xiangtun Xi, a traditional musical drama from the border region of Yunnan Province, China, preserved in Baoshan. The most complete surviving form of ancient local art and culture, Xiangtun Xi originated from primitive shamanistic rituals, combining early religious practices with unique local drama. Considering legends and the historical context, the article examines how regional language, customs, and traditions shaped the development of Xiangtun Xi drama into a distinctive musical genre. Furthermore, the author highlights the drama’s role in expressing ethnic identity and embodying humanistic values, underscoring its significance in the cultural heritage of the borderland communities.